Eternity Lost
by Infamous Storm
Summary: Living your life over and over again gets dull. You lose feeling and whatever it is that makes you human. I wished for a break from monotony, and my wish was granted. Time is starting to unravel, and it looks like this is my final loop. Everything matters and anything can happen. My advice? Never break the universe. AU. Updates every two weeks.
1. Chapter 1

**_Chapter One: So it Begins  
_**

I ask that you know to keep a sound mind when reading, 'cuz I'm not exactly a sound person. The things I've lived through have changed me in more ways that I would like to admit. I've done great things. I built an empire and created an age of peace. But I've done far worse: I caused a war, killed the people I loved, and burned my own empire to the ground.

I'm not what you would call a hero.

Some would call me insane, and I agree. However, if you lived over a thousand lifetimes, would you honestly not be a little crazy? I try to be a good person, I try to do the right thing, but it's hard when nothing matters. When there's no fear of death, no end, and everything just resets, life gets dull. That being said, you're not here to listen to my angst, you're here to listen to the story. And this story isn't about how I got here—it's about the end.

Well, the beginning of the end.

* * *

They say fate's cruel. They're right. No matter what Kurama and I did, we could never return before the age of fourteen. She ensured it.

And now, wouldn't you know it, she reared her bewitching face and screwed things up again. I suppose I should be thankful—it was finally a break from monotony.

It was a scene all too familiar to me: knee deep water, unending darkness, and a cage spanning a mile wide and a mile tall. As I stood before it, a brilliant red light shined behind the arcane columns, brightening as a crimson eye ten times my width and height stared down, raging and strangely horrified. It approached, darkness edging away, as it revealed the full visage of a fox, which flashed its dagger like teeth.

**"It's time."**

"What..." My words froze, mouth agape as my blue eyes saw burning red chakra ooze from the cage like a thick mist. Instead of surging towards me like always, it simply went aloft, evaporating into scarlet sparks. "The fuck?" I whispered. My voice just fell on deaf ears, fragmented as Kurama's chest heaved, breath thinning as he rested his head on his palms.

**"My thought exactly."** He chuckled weakly, fur once bright and full of life losing its shine. It was frightening. Despite all these years Kurama had always remained invincible, if not, keeping the appearance because of his pride. Now he just looked defeated. Something was off, something was different.

It was refreshing.

Licking my lips, I asked, "Time?"

**"My time."** He responded grimly, voice losing its depth. My eyes widened. Kurama never died. He couldn't die.

"Why?" I spoke.

"I don't know," he exasperated, voice having lost its luster.

"How?"

Kurama opened his mouth, but just gave a sigh, fur transforming from a dull red to a sickly grey.

This wasn't normal.

He breathed in again, hallowed breath turning into pained whispers as his body withered. "Time is resetting... no more loops..." His fur had now became a stark white. "The end..." he struggled, directing, for the time since I've known him, a look of regret. "...is now." He stopped, body cracking as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

I could only watch as his body solidified, blackening into stone before it slowly crumbled like a broken bridge, chunks falling and smashing into the ground.

I breathed in, an emptiness splitting my chest as I clenched my teeth. It was strange. I had never felt this before, or perhaps I had simply forgot - the pain of real loss. Kurama was dead. I don't know why, but some part of me understood...

"Time," I mused, "is breaking apart."

How sickening; in my partner's death I found excitement.

* * *

"Kid? Kid?! You alright?!" Jiraiya spoke.

I awoke, blue eyes focused on the cup of green tea in my palms. I was in an old, worn down restaurant, sitting at a round table for two right in the corner booth.

_"Interesting."_ This wasn't the same location I started at, not even close. However, I was fourteen, that much was evident. Still on the training trip.

"KID!" I jolted slightly, blinking as I looked at Jiraiya.

"Yeah?"

"You okay? You were spaced out." He quirked an eyebrow as he took a sip of his own cup of tea.

I chuckled. "Yeah, guess I was." I scratched my head in feigned embarrassment.

The man snorted. "Kid, if you keep on spacing out you'll never be Hokage."

"_Dude, you have no idea._"

I furrowed my eyebrows, scrunching my nose as I growled, "Nothing will stop me from becoming Hokage."

Jiraiya let a small smile cross his face. "Really, brat?" There was a hint of sarcasm evident in his tone.

"Screw you, pervy sage." I growled.

He let out a hearty laugh.

The conversation continued, the usual jabs, sarcasm, and banter coupled with bouts of laughter and over-the-top expression. I didn't even have to think about it. I was on auto-pilot. Instead, my mind was focused on a dark chakra signature. It was dark and enormous; familiar, yet unexpected.

Then, like a burning comet, it descended.

"Here's your food, sirs." The conversation stopped as I narrowed my eyes. Glancing to the right I saw a tall figure garbed in a long, hooded cloak.

Jiraiya simply smiled as the man set the tray down. However as he set it down, my hand shot forward, wrapping over his wrist with a vice-like grip.

"Do I know you?" I spoke.

The cloaked figure looked my way with blue eyes and a whisker-marked face. I lost it. Forming a Rasengan in my other hand, I jammed it into his gut. It ripped apart the man's cloak, shredding through flesh, bone, and cartilage like it was _Papier mâché_. It then blasted him back in a blazing burst of chakra, sending him spiraling through the wall in an explosion of rubble.

We both just stayed seated as the restaurants occupants ran out the door and the newly formed hole in the wall, screaming like animals.

This may seem sick, but it was hilarious—almost like a movie.

"Brat... what did you do?" His eyes widened. It wasn't because I had just done the Rasengan one-handed. It wasn't even the fact that the man I just tore into had my same chakra signature. It was because my eyes looked like a frog's, framed by an orange ink.

I had gone sage mode, and I had done it in literally a second. I could feel everything around me. Everything—whether it be the dirt, the air, or even the moisture in the air—was all an extension of my being.

I glanced at him, smiling as I stood and then walked out of my seat in silence, tossing my orange jacket to the side.

Jiraiya just watched me, muttering, "Who are you?" I didn't need to see his face. I could feel his mixture of fear, awe, and confusion.

I glanced at him with my trademark cocky grin. "A Kage..." I said as I strolled towards the smoke. "_The_ Kage."

Jiraiya stood up, but I stopped him mid-step, saying, "It'd be best if you just observed." He opened his mouth to reply but just sat down in subdued annoyance, mouth closed. Honestly, I figured he would follow me, but I didn't question it. He was probably going to do it in a way that I wouldn't notice.

"Thanks." My voice was probably a little too belittling for his tastes, but I didn't care at the moment. No, as the smoke finally cleared I only cared about the raging demonic chakra forming several destroyed shops and towers before me.

It was like a scene from a blockbuster. People were screaming as they ran for their lives, while the big monster, the now burning aura of chakra, got ready to attack.

Most would be horrified, but I had to resist the urge to bounce in joy. I always loved to fight.

"Finally..." I grinned. "Some fun." I walked forth, people scrambling past me as that walk turned to a jog, then a sprint, then (my favorite) light speed. My wind chakra swerved through my veins, empowering me as my surroundings blurred past, the very air itself giving me a wide berth. In less than a blink I had crossed the distance, cerulean Rasengan raging forth in my hand.

However, the cloaked figure had healed, rising with a crimson Rasengan to meet mine. The clash was a cacophonous symphony, chakra blasting everything apart, whether it be dust, concrete, or the very air itself. Neither side was winning—it was a stalemate.

Yet, I had barely touched my bag of tricks. Before my opponent's eyes, my Rasengan began to expand, growing in power and intensity as he was pushed back.

"Mine's bigger." I grinned, giving a final push as my Rasengan eradicated his, blazing into his torso. In one final motion, I released, a cyclone larger than my body ripping apart the landscape like a hand of god as he was blasted back once more. It continued, shredding through building after building.

*Smash*

It had cut through the first one like paper.

*Smash*

Second one the same.

*Smash*

That fifty foot tower crumbled as it collapsed onto the street.

*Boom*

Suddenly the technique was canceled, vanishing into a wisp of wind as a crimson pillar of chakra shot up into the sky. The man stood, blond haired, red eyed, and unharmed as the crimson chakra blazed around him like an aura, slowly burning away his cloak. He had healed faster than the technique could harm him.

I looked on with a simple smirk.

He roared, cloak evaporating into dust as he crouched on all fours. Claws and fangs lengthened, eyes and whiskers darkened as the chakra oozed around him, forming the steaming, bubbling outline of a fox with three tails.

This was going to be fun. I just had to make sure to beat him in time.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_

_**Yeah, for you guys who read A Different Legend, this is completely different. A more lighthearted Adventure, although there will be drama, just not to the point of angst like in ADL. Also, I'm sorry because this was simply a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone... like seriously... plus, it kinda helped me get through my writer's block for ADL.  
**_

_**Hopefully, you liked Epic!Naruto. I felt I did it well. Although, this is my first time ever doing first person, so tell me if it felt disjointed. Sometimes my thoughts tend to be... well, disjointed. Anyways...  
**_

_**PLEASE REVIEW! If not, please leave a PM. I want to know your feedback, this is a completely different story for me!  
**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Made some edits to the previous chapters based on past reviews so everything would make more sense. The main one is, they're on the training trip.**

**This will explain Naruto's actions and conclude the fight. Sorry for the brevity, but chapters will get progressively longer from here on out. **

* * *

**Chapter Two: I almost blow up the world...again.**

"Oh god!" People screamed as they continued running for their lives, trying to not topple over each other as the earth slowly cracked below their feet.

My teeth clenched; If I didn't do something people would get hurt. Before I could move, my doppelganger let out another roar, crimson chakra bubbling, undulating as six ghostly claws shot out from it depths. Stretching like rubber, the hands latched onto the fifty-foot tower toppled on the street.

_"Oh, you wouldn't dare_."

Arms retracting, he hoisted the massive column over his head, letting out another roar as he hurled the tower towards me like a javelin.

_"Not cool, dude."_

I had already acted, not even questioning why the tower was empty, a Rasengan forming in my palm. Furrowing my eyebrows, I ran forward, channeling wind chakra into it. Ten feet away, my arm was stretched back, gripping a fully formed Rasenshuriken. With a grunt I flung it forth, sliding to a stop as the attack sliced through the building like hot butter. Mid way through its onslaught, it expanded into a blinding white ball, annihilating the building and the hairs on my nose to dust.

Despite the attack nearly blasting off my face, I couldn't help but grin. The people behind me were safe, probably grateful too.

"He just incinerated a building!"

"HE'S A MONSTER!"

Should've known better.

My brief digression was interrupted though as I felt my fourteen year old body wear. My breath became shallow, the back of my throat dried, and sweat smeared my face. Collapsing on my hands and knees, my sage chakra began leaving me. I tried to slow down my breath and gather the energy once more but a swift kick to my gut knocked my wits. I zoomed straight to the sky, wind beating against my back. If I didn't use chakra to soften the blow, my body would have been broken, not strained. However, the crimson coated claw before my vision actually dug into my face, despite using chakra once more, burning and ripping skin as I was sent hurtling to the ground.

I felt anger as my body embedded itself into the earth. In stupidity, I had wasted my nature chakra like water as if I was in my prime instead of puberty. However, that anger was replaced by an emotion all too lost to me—fear. Not because my face and body were screaming for mercy, but because I could feel the earth screaming for mercy. Chunks of ground began to float aloft, bits of wind turned to raging gales, and the mild temperature had turned into a burning inferno that baked my skin. The world was being ripped apart because there were two of me, like the other three times, except this time was different. I needed to win.

I grit my teeth, struggling to stand up, but a yelp escaped my lips. My doppelganger had appeared before me, straddling me and smashing me into the concrete, cracking my back.

He roared. My head rattled and it took all my will power to keep my sanity. I needed to come up with a plan. And like a stroke of luck, a lightbulb lit in my mind.

"Look a ramen stand!" I pointed to my right, his head following with tongue lolled out like a dog. His grip loosened on me, giving me enough time to smash a sage empowered fist into his face.

He flew and I stood, concentrating chakra to my wounds. My face re-knitted and my back mended. However, before I could act, the earth shook, throwing off my balance. I landed on my butt as spider-web cracks raced along the ground.

_"Son of a-"_ Lightning cracked above my head. Directing my eyes to the sky, I saw the clear blue turn into a ghastly green. Furrowing my eyebrows, I stood up, channeling chakra to my feet to stabilize my balance.

Before I could fully gather my wits, my doppelganger rushed me. I had sensed him though. Stepping to the side and narrowly avoiding the claw to my face, I placed my open palm to his gut. Channeling chakra, I flipped him, slamming him down into the ground. I pinned his arms down, straddling him. I could end it right now; stop the end of the world, but I needed answers.

"Is Kurama alive in you?" I asked.

He adopted a look of confusion, before spitting in my face. "I don't know who the fuck that is."

My face contorted as my nose flared. "Fine," I growled. "Is the Kyuubi alive?"

He snarled. "Fuck you."

I smashed my fist into his jaw, shattering it. He cried out.

"Just grunt if he's not, got it?"

He glared at me, but gave a pained whimper.

"Fantastic..." I muttered. All the Kuramas were dead, and this guy simply had his chakra because he absorbed it. A half-demon. Great, just - my thoughts were cut short as he roared, sending me air-born in a burst of strength. I flipped and landed like a crouched cat, gazing at him with narrowed eyes.

Hair turned ragged, patches of thick fur covering his chest and arms; fangs and claws sharpened, prickly digits transforming into knife-like towers; and chakra skyrocketed, red turning into a black-tainted crimson that accompanied not four, not five, but six weaving and fluid tails. However, it didn't stop there; he let out another roar, chakra nearly burning me alive as his fox-like eyes bore into me like a drill. They darkened, pooling into black voids that threatened to devour me like I was a freshly cooked cow.

**"You ready, blondie?"**

I didn't even reply, a familiar tug pulling at my gut as the air around me distorted and I was enveloped by a void of black. At first I just floated, but then I imagined myself on my opponents back, landing where I wished, hands placed on his jaw and forehead.

*crack*

With a sharp tug his neck snapped, and he collapsed lifelessly on the ground. Eyes narrowed, I formed Rasengans in both of my palms to finish it, but his chakra tails swarmed forth in a blink in a flash, knocking the air out of me as I was sent flying, Rasengan dissipating.

Before I could even hit the ground, he appeared above me, foot raised as he stomped me into the ground. But before my body was sent through the earth, another void opened below me. I sailed into an ocean of black before reappearing three feet to my opponents right.

He smirked at me, stretching his healed neck as he looked at his stomach. There was a complex array of ink.

**"Flying thunder god, eh?"** With a sickening squelched he dug his claw into his gut, ripping away flesh as it instantly reknitted, seal malformed.

He laughed, his voice booming throughout the town like a gong. It made me sick. I always hated enemies full of themselves. They always had to brag.

**"You think you can beat me?"**

May I direct you to example number one! Stuff like this infuriates me. A long time ago, I would scream, wave my fists around, and argue. But I learned something interesting over the course of my lifetimes. It's much more satisfying to see your opponents tremble.

"Who do you think you are?" I asked.

His face slowly shifted to one of indifference.

**"Who am I?"** He raised an eyebrow as his laughed resumed and he dashed towards me. **"I'm the king!"** His claws dashed towards me with enough strength to split a mammoth—but I caught them, the air tearing like cloth as I stood firm and unyielding.

"Really..." My voice loomed. "Tell me then, your highness. Why?"

He opened his mouth. **"Becau-"**

"You're not." I said. "A king is someone who leads." Despite his massive size I channeled chakra, slowly pushing him back. "A king is someone who has conviction." His chakra tails swarmed towards me, but a tornado blazed to life, protecting me and tearing at him. "A KING is a person who leads his people to a better tomorrow. I've met kings. My friends were kings. And I'm sorry, but you're no king."

His eyes widened ever so slightly as he trembled.

**"What are you?"** he spoke.

"Me? I'm what you are, except greater." The tornado expanded around us, slowly sucking the air out of him as he wheezed. "A demon."

He just looked at me with confusion. Looks like I needed to explain.

"You've probably lived you're entire life relying on that power of yours, didn't you?" I didn't need an answer. "You were a big fish in a small pond." My eyes glowed with chakra as my face neared his. "Well let me tell you..." I was whispering in his ear, voice present despite the flapping winds. "You just entered the ocean." He wheezed as his lungs collapsed. "And I'm the leviathan." His chakra slowly evaporated, demonic features receding as I let him plop onto the ground.

I grabbed my doppelganger and threw him into the tornado. He spun in its depth, going higher and higher as a Rasengan swirled in my palm. In a burst, he shot up to the sky as I poured all my sage chakra into my now formed Rasenshuriken.

"Regenerate this." The cyclone dissipated as I flung my jutsu forward. Truth be told, I felt conflicted as it obliterated him to ash. The rush of the life-threatening battle lingered in my heart. I was born for this. But at the same time, part of me was scared. As sweat dripped from my brow, and breath left my lips, I could only wonder. What would happen next?

_**To be continued...**_

* * *

_**Please review, and don't be afraid to ask questions.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my body and this laptop.**

**Also I'd like to thank my great friend duesal10. We basically bounce ideas off the other and edit eachother's work. You could say we're eachother's beta. Also, I have to thank Sendicard, he thought this would be a cool idea, and I wouldn't have grown so much as a writer without him. Seriously, he's the BEST!  
**

* * *

_**Chapter Three: Story of my Life**_

I looked around, my eyes drooping in sadness. Although the sky had returned to normal, and the earth had stopped shaking, the area around me was a nasty scar. Buildings were leveled, earth was destroyed, and all life had scattered like leaves in the wind. I was in a ghost town. At least, as far as my eyes were concerned. I wanted to get up, meet Jiraiya, and tell him everything—but I was drained. I could barely even breathe. Yet, a terrifying thought continued to pervade my mind as my eyelids grew heavy.

"Kurama... you're really dead." I hadn't had the time to really accept it. It had happened so quickly that it seemed like a dream, but it wasn't. It was reality. And it hurt more than anything else. It was like someone had gripped my heart and squeezed, slowly crushing whatever sense of grounding I had. I wanted to cry, but all I could do was drift off into the nightmares of future's past.

* * *

My visions when I slept weren't normal, probably a reflection of my state of mind. Everything was exaggerated, twisted, and dreary beyond belief. All around me was a wasteland of flesh. The ground was dyed with blood that squished as I walked, both from the dreaded rain of the dark clouds, and the mutilated bodies laid on the ground. Strangely, it didn't bother me. What did bother me was the fact that my body was a puppet, just reenacting the scene as the strings of fate led me forth.

"You ready, dobe?" My eyes glanced to the battered form of Sasuke Uchiha. He walked with me, Eternal Sharingan blazing as he looked at me with a sense of fear, confidence, and excitement.

My body moved on auto-pilot, just grunting as I walked on.

"Che, no last words?" He was more afraid than he would admit.

"That's only if we're going to die." My reply brimmed with confidence, despite me being anything but.

He glanced at me, his gaze hard as ever, but still holding an undercurrent of fondness. "Still an idiot as always..." I didn't reply, coming to a stop as a towering figure made itself known in the horizon.

If there was ever a representation of chaos—a face or image to put it to—this creature was it. It was a colossus, standing so tall that its head was obscured in the black clouds. Its skin was dark, glowing with an aura of black-crimson that devoured all light. It was like a shadow of a demonic man, if it wasn't for the ten humongous tails that weaved like snakes. Each end possessed crimson eyes, dagger teeth, and heaving horns. They salivated, gnawing their fangs as they leered at me and Sasuke. This was going to be the fight of a lifetime. We wanted to run, to hide, but we chose to fight. We knew we could win this, even if our chances were slim. Even though its clawed foot missed smashing us by centimeters, even though each of its shadowed toe-nails were twice our height and width, we channeled our chakra and roared.

They say when two men are put in dire circumstances, they take on certain responsibilities for each other.

As I summoned all of the Kurama's chakra, Sasuke summoned the full power of his Susano'o. Our powers merged: fusing, melding and becoming one as I roared in my Biju form, encased by Susano'o's armor.

This should have been impossible. It was something I still didn't understand today. Two chakras—polar opposites—had been synchronized into perfect harmony. It was euphoric, it was gratifying, and it filled us with confidence. Even when the Juubi bent down, glaring at us with its single, red, city-sized, tomoe-stained Rinnegan, we summoned a blade of Amaterasu's flames and stabbed it right into the pupil.

Then in a flash of black flames, and crimson light I stood over the burning carcass of the beast, a dying Sasuke in my arms. He looked at me, smiling with that cocky grin of his before going limp. He had died of chakra exhaustion.

I gave a sigh as I looked at the barren landscape. I was alone, all my friends were dead. I suppose I should have balled, but some part of me understood that wouldn't solve anything. It wouldn't fill the hole in my heart. At first, I tried to ignore it, going on with my life. As I walked from town to town, the scenery would change, whether it be raging storms, clear skies, cool breezes, or scalding heat-but the emotion, the feeling of loneliness stayed. I wanted my friends back. I mean, even though I had slayed the Juubi, the world viewed me as a monster. Some even screamed when I passed by. To them I wasn't the savior, but just the bigger monster. By the time I accepted this, I was seventy-eight.

Some part of me, out of desperation, began to look for a way, any way, to go back to the beginning. After years of slaving away, constantly running into dead ends, I found it—a scroll within the ruins of the Uzumaki.

It was a clear blue day that was entrenched in the scalding, humid heat of summer. I stood in an old, run-down shack, taking a seat at a simple wooden table with a scroll in my hands. After I unfurled it, my eyes scanned its contents.

With a grunt I went to work, spending hours upon hours, without food or sleep as I drew conglomerations of seals along the walls, the floor, and the ceiling.

I stood in the center of the building, summoning all of Kurama's chakra as I pulled out a knife. The jutsu required two things, an unsurpassed level of chakra, and the life of the caster. My body couldn't travel back, only my mind. I stomped on the ground, the seals around me glowing a heavenly blue as I jammed the knife in my gut, pulling up as it cut through my organs. As it pierced, I felt a cold pain that was like an electric shock, very sudden, but much sharper. But then I bled, the biting cold turning into a searing heat as my mind went into panic. It was an unbearable throbbing sensation that ebbed throughout my being. My vision went dark. My mind slowed, and I slumped forward with a pained wheeze.

I had died at the age of one-hundred-twenty-seven.

Then my eyes opened once more. I was a light, a brilliant red light that observed my dead body from above. Strangely, I was weightless and at peace. I was in bliss. But then I felt a pull in two directions. One was into a darkness with a comforting white light at the end, and the other was into a glowing red wound, a spectral tear that formed above my body.

One promised peace, and one promised eternity. Though it looked far more grotesque, the red tear was far more comforting. I dove in and didn't look back.

Before me, the red expanded into a crimson void as I fell. I continued on and on, seconds turning into hours, and hours turning into days. I felt the passing of time, and yet I existed outside of it. Just as I came close to my destination my body froze mid-fall.

I was stunned, speechless as a brilliant white light burst before my eyes.

It consolidated into an outline of a young girl. She was the very definition of beauty, despite only being seventeen in appearance. Her features were soft. Her skin was light, but healthy. She was angelic However, her eyes were mismatched. Although they were round and sparkled, one was a deep green, and the other was a demonic red. The dichotomy was startling, as if there were two sides to her. Also, her hair was a deep, yet ashy blue. It was almost as if she was hiding her true age. That being said, I could only stare in awe as the light consolidated into a simple blue kimono that hugged her curves perfectly.

"Who... are you?" I said shakily. Normally, I wouldn't have been so fearful, yet she gave off a feeling of dread.

There was a pause as the woman stared at me, making me shift uncomfortably. Actually, since I was an orb, it was just... floating uncomfortably.

"I am Fate," her voice was soft and melodious. "And I am here because you are running from yours." Her features hardened as she sighed. "Honestly, I would have thought better of you."

Although I felt small, I couldn't stand her condescending tone and snapped. "Screw you."

She froze, brows rising as her voice softened. "What did you say... demon?" The last word cut like steel.

My temper ignited into a raging inferno. "You heard me! I don't care who you are or what you are! Judge me and call me a demon again... and I'll show you what a demon really is." I didn't care that she balled her fist at me. I also didn't care that the white light around her threatened to burn me alive. NOBODY talks down to me.

Her arms shot out and grabbed me, pulling me towards her face as she stared into my soul. Her eyes prodded me as her face became a blank slate. I had faced many things in my life, but nothing ever peered into me like those eyes. I felt exposed.

"Oh... so that's what it is." She spoke in wonder. "How sad." That look of pity irked me beyond belief.

"What!?" I barked.

"To think you would tread this path, this path of madness." She sighed. "I'm so sorry. I truly am. However, you can't go back to the beginning." She spoke softly.

"You're not making any sense."

"It's nothing... Naruto Uzumaki." She strained the last words from her lips as if she bit down a raw piece of meat.

"Just know, you can't go back to where you please." She closed her eye in anguish, and just stayed like that for a few moments, as if holding back tears. "And know that you have a tragic road before you. One with many more lows than highs..." She whispered a few incoherent lines as she pushed me and said, "Good luck."

I was enveloped by darkness.

I still don't know what she was talking about, except that Kurama and I woke up at the age of fourteen instead of the night of the sealing. I also have a feeling that she's the reason why I loop. After all, what else could it be?

* * *

My eyes blearily creaked open. I was in a white room, laying in a simple mattress. Nothing seemed to be present, except me.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." Well, I did say "seemed".

Flailing my arms (my body was in excruciating pain), I rose and turned to the side, my nose to the nose of Jiraiya.

"Errr... hey," I said lamely.

"Hey." The awkwardness in the air was amplified by his blank-stare.

"So, where are we?" I asked.

"One of the hotels that you didn't destroy."

"Oh..." I tried to deflate the awkwardness of the situation. "Was the room free?"

"Considering everyone in the town ran away, yeah." He nodded, leaving it at that.

Needless to say, the awkward atmosphere was getting to me, so I continued.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Couple of hours."

Huh, well that explained why my body was still in pain.

"So, I'm guessing you want some answers." I asked giving a sigh.

"No, I want to work on my novel." I couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

"Err..." I began awkwardly. "Really?"

"No!" he snapped. "What the heck was that!?"

I blinked. "Sorry, could you define 'that'?"

His eye twitched momentarily. "Everything," he deadpanned as he gave a sigh. "Nothing's making any sense. You're Naruto: you have the same chakra signature, same clothing, same blood-"

"You checked my blood!?" I know I wasn't exactly trustworthy, but still.

"But, there are other versions of you..." He rubbed his temples. "Nothing's making any sense. Are you even the Naruto I know?"

He just gazed at me, his eyes swirling with suspicion and worry.

I licked my lips, gazing right into his eyes. "Well, I'm not the Naruto you know. However, I'm on your side."

He sighed as he sat on the bed across from mine, gesturing for me to go on.

"Before I tell you everything, you have to promise me that you'll suspend your disbelief."

He raised an eyebrow but nodded, taking out a bottle of water and drinking.

"I'm from the future."

He did a spit-take, gazing at me with wide eyes. "Wow, you weren't kidding."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "A future where everyone in Konoha died, because Akatsuki won. You see, they planned to use all the power of the Biju to reawaken the Juubi, and they did, but it backfired on them. They couldn't control it and once it reached its final state it was too much for them and killed everybody." That was the extremely shortened version, but I could write an entire book series on what happened. "By some miracle, I beat it with Sasuke's help."

Jiraiya opened his mouth, but I spoke.

"Long story. Basically, he went through a journey of self-discovery and became a good guy again." Jiraiya didn't seem convinced. "Trust me, it weirded everybody out too, but anyways..." I cleared my throat. "I wanted my friends back, so I went back in time..." I breathed in. "I prevented everything, made everything right—but when I died, I came back. And then I kept on coming back. Now I'm in a loop."

Jiraiya seemed to accept this with a slow nod. I gave a small smile, nodding as I continued.

"Now onto why those other Narutos exist, Kurama told me-"

"Who's Kurama?"

"The Nine-Tails."

"Oh..."

"Anyways, Kurama told me that when I went back in time, I created a tear in the space-time continuum. That tear allowed me to go back, but it also allows the occasional person from a different universe to travel backwards and meet me. However, each one of us has our own time-signature, and only one of the same time signature can exist within the world. That's why I fought him, because if one of us didn't die, the ripples from our meeting would become tremors that would rip the very fabric of reality."

Jiraiya just stared at me with an blank expression. I wasn't surprised, that was a lot to take in. We just stared at each other for a few minutes until he finally said, "Wow..." Best summation I've heard.

"Yeah..." I nodded.

Jiraiya tapped his chin. "So the reason the sky turned green and the rocks were levitating..."

"Yep."

"Damn," He finished, rubbing his temples. "Wait." He glanced at me. "I have a couple of questions."

"Shoot," I said nonchalantly.

"How strong are you?"

I blinked. It had been along time since I've been asked that question. "Well..." I tapped my chin. "I used to be Hokage, and I did that the second time around. Now, I'm on loop one thousand something..." I trailed off as Jiraiya blinked.

"Wait, how old are you?"

"I don't know, one hundred thousand?"

Silence.

He rubbed his temples again. "I need a drink." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a sake bottle and started drinking. He took a few sips before burping and saying, "So you're a god?"

"Well, no. I'm limited by my age. There's only so much my body can do." Example one: Sage mode was NOT meant to be used by a fourteen year old. "And I don't have Kurama anymore. Considering that, I'm probably a notch or two below you at the moment."

He stared at me, eyes and nose scrunched as he spoke, "The fox is dead?"

Oh yeah, he needed to know that. "Yeah..." my voice grew a little somber.

"How do you kill a Biju?"

My eyes grew dim. "You destroy its personality, leaving the chakra without an anchor." I tried to summarize more. "In other words, you destroy its soul. However... I don't why, I just know it happened." And I would do whatever it took to find out.

He shook his head, holding back what looked like a major headache. "Okay, backtracking, what can you do?" I could totally understand, this was a lot to take in.

"Well, as you see, my chakra control is perfect. I have a variety of ninjutsu, from all elements, though my best is wind."

"Wind?" I could understand his confusion, wind users were rare in Konoha.

"Yeah, my bingo book name is The Roaring Gale."

At his look, I went on. "As you already know, I completed the Yondaime's technique and created a wind-infused Rasengan." I pulled up my hands as I counted off what I knew. "I can also enhance my speed, fly, and bend the wind to my will without handseals." Oh couldn't forget about this one. "Also know the Hiraishin. As for taijutsu, I can give Gai a run for his money. I never bothered with Kenjutsu. I know Genjutsu well enough to negate anything, and I'm a seal master." That seemed like a good summation. "Again, I'm strong, but due to my age, I can't do some of my strongest techniques. Heck, I can't even use my laser."

"You have a LASER!?"

"Of course I have a laser!" Why wouldn't I? Seriously, people these days.

* * *

_**To be continued...  
**_

_**Author's note: Yeah, that was the explanations. As you can see, I wasn't just making Naruto a mad person when he said he met Fate. HE ACTUALLY MET HER! As you can tell from that, I'm going to introduce gods... and alot of Japanese mythos. Plus, Like A Different Legend, Naruto's past will get revealed a bit by bit, with the direction of the story coming out when his whole past is revealed. **_

_**Props to anybody who can guess it. *Hint* Hint* There's a reason why it's first person. ^^  
**_

_**Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW! :D**_


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter is awesome, yet weird. I start introducing the mythos.

* * *

**Chapter Four: I think I'm on drugs.**

Needless to say, Jiraiya's and my conversation ended like this:

"So, you know everything I could teach you?" He asked.

"Pretty much." I nodded.

"...Could you teach me?"

"Nice try."

After I was healed, we ended up treading back to Konoha.

We walked quite a long ways, but nobody bothered us. Whenever local ninjas or thugs came close, they cried and gave us their belongings. I had perfected my Kage glare—a look that said: however bad you think you are, I'm worse.

Sometimes it worked too well though. Jiraiya gave me frightened looks as we settled down in a clearing and set up camp. After setting up a tent, the old man went in as I sat cross-legged on the grass and watched the camp-fire.

Truth be told, I preferred the outdoors. I don't know if it was because I was a sage, but I just felt one with nature. Cliché, I know, but true. And strangely, the craziest, most terrifying things about nature—tsunamis, tornadoes, storms—comforted me the most.

As if on cue, dark clouds shadowed the stars and thunder rumbled the earth. I smiled. As the rain cascaded down and beat on my skin, I closed my eyes in bliss and hummed. My breath grew deep, and the winds picked up in intensity, becoming vast gales as they swirled around me like a typhoon.

"Man, you were always a weird one."

My eyes snapped open as the winds dissipated into a wisp. Across from me sat a man, bare chested and in his shorts. He had white hair, a farmer's tan, and a defined but aged face. However, he also had this lightness to him, like he was a child trapped in a man's body. It was almost like he was a surfer dude having a mid-life crisis.

I was wary, but not because of his appearance, but because he had simply _appeared_. There was no chakra signature, no rustle of the grass, and no physical form. The rain just fell through him like he was an illusion. He simply was.

"Who are you?" My eyes narrowed.

He chuckled. "I'll give you a hint—I've broken my back several time bending backwards for you."

Confusion struck me like lightning. "Huh?" That had to be dumbest clue ever.

"Man." He sighed into his palms. "You're the kunai that bruises not stabs, aren't yah?"

Honestly, that pissed me off a little. "Clever. How long did it take you to make that one up?" He raised an eyebrow as I continued. "Seriously, just tell me who you are."

His eyes twinkled with mirth. "Straightforward and snarky. I can see why my sister digs you."

Okay, seriously. This guy was definitely going through a mid-life something. He made me feel quite uncomfortable. For a while, we just stared at each other awkwardly until he coughed.

"I'm Reality," he finished.

_Crap..._

I stared at him for a few moments, the sound of wind pattering forth as my mouth strayed agape. "No..." it couldn't be. "There's no way that you are..." I shook my head in disbelief.

He raised an eyebrow. "You know, just because you don't believe what's in front of you, doesn't mean it's not true."

"No, no, no." I said. "You're not real." I knew he was, it was just so much at once. Everything was bombarding me like the rain against my skin.

"Kid, I wish I wasn't here, but my sister has taken an interest in you," he replied simply.

"Fate?" He nodded.

I rubbed my temples as a dull pain fostered in my skull. "So, you're Reality?"

"The one and only, kiddo." He smiled, flashing a pair of brilliant white teeth.

"Why are you here?" I gave a sigh. "_How_ are you here?" Truth be told, I thought they weren't supposed to be able to interfere with mortal affairs.

"Why?" His eyes darkened. "Because the amount of tears that you created in space and time are slowly breaking me. The realms between heaven, earth and the underworld are converging, and you need to fix it. As to how? Well Kiddo, as stated before, everything's breaking, and you aren't exactly human."

I took a deep breath as I licked my lips. "Fine, we both know I screw up a lot of things, but what do you mean I'm not human?"

His eyes adopted a look of grief. "Even after a hundred thousand years, your soul still suffers from the beast's venom. How pitiful..."

"What?" I held out my arms, and quirked my head.

He spoke, but some of his words seemed to be muffled, as if blocked. "_ _ _ the trickster. _ _ _ the storm bringer. _ _ _ the warrior of valor. You need to regain your power." Despite my confusion, the words seemed to ring a bell of nostalgia, resounding like the thunderous clouds above.

"What are you even saying?"

"Your mind is fractured, your memories are clouded, your emotions are frazzled, and your identity is lost." He shook his head as his form started to shimmer into golden light. "There's no more time to relax Naruto, those problems aren't going to be solved on their own. Its been one hundred millenia and they've only gotten worse. You need to face them head on."

His form became a thick golden light that shined like the sun. "You're waking up, wish I could say more. But here's a clue that won't fall on deaf ears; there's a very specific reason you were able to defeat the Juubi, and it's only finding why that you will find Kurama."

He evaporated into countless sparkles as my eyes snapped open to the crackling flame. Looking up, I noticed the sky was clear. All that could be seen were the twinkling stars.

_"A dream..."_ But one that held so many questions, one that I needed to follow up on. If it was true, one thing was for certain—Kurama was still alive. Where? I don't know. But he was, and that was all that mattered. He was my best friend, and above all, my partner. We did everything together. He was there for me through it all. He was always there to shoulder the burdens of the world with me. I didn't care what came in my way—I would find him.

Nothing would stop me: demons, time anomalies, gods—I would crush them, I would burn them, and I would spit on their remains. You may call that harsh, but for me it was something else.

It was the burning flame coursing through my veins—my rage.

Some part of me actually started to decipher the new load of information, but my thoughts were stopped in their tracks.

I grabbed my head, hissing in pain. My brain screamed in agony as a low, baritone voice echoed through my mind.

_**"Tread lightly, child..."**_

I wanted to challenge the being, but its voice held an arcane power older than even I could fathom. I opened my mouth, but paused in wonder as I saw the fire cackle as it roared and surged upward. Before my eyes the flames solidified, becoming something akin to shifting lava as a triangular, serpentine head hovered before me. Its crimson, tomoe-stained eyes stabbed into me as it flashed its ebony fangs.

**"Some stones,"** it spoke, **"are better left unturned."**

I stared forth, my mind racing for answers. Was I still dreaming? Seemed unlikely, and if I wasn't, my dream _definitely_ meant something. "Who are you?" I held my own as it hissed.

**"Tell me, do you really feel the urge to tread down that path?"** Its nose was so close to mine that I could feel its skin singe my hair to dust. However, I wasn't one to back down.

"I think," I glared back, "you know the answer to that."

It snorted. **"Not only would that answer cost all you hold dear, but your sanity as well."**

Its words burned the very air, including my core. Every syllable was like a countdown to my death, but some part of me _couldn't_ back down. I grit my teeth, clenched my fists, and stood upright.

"Let me tell you something—I don't care if you're god. I'll find out who you are, and I'll find out what you did. If I don't like it, you better pray for your soul, 'cuz I'll take you to the deepest pits of hell."

It let out a laugh that shook the very earth. **"Hell does not harm me, Hell is my domain. The demons of the underworld serve me, and they would love to see you, I can assure you of that."** I felt the earth tremble as its eyes glowed and pain seared throughout my veins, like poison. **"Let this be my final warning, take it as you will. I do not pray, people pray to me, and if you continue on, not even the gods can help you."**

For a moment we just stared at one another. The only sound apparent was its molten flesh sizzling against the cool breeze.

"Fuck you," I said.

Its eyes, bottomless black voids, threatened to swallow my soul. I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid. They held such hatred, fury, and spite. For a moment, I could have sworn they morphed before my eyes, but something grabbed my attention.

"Hey brat!" Jiraiya stuck his head out of the tent. "Stop talking to the fire! I get you're crazy, but I'm trying to sleep!"

I and the weird snake thing stared at him. Was he blind or something?

"Seriously..." I pointed at the freaky serpent. "You don't see it?"

"Yes, it's a very nice fire, now shut up!" Jiraiya went back inside the tent.

I looked at the flame creature. It looked at me.

"Wait, he can't see you?"

**"No."**

"So, you're not real?"

**"Would you like to stick your hand in me and find out, child?"**

We stared at each other for a bit, our faces stone cold. Well, not the snake/dragon thing. It was on fire.

"Was that an innuendo?" I'm sorry, but when the opportunity presented itself, I loved making fun of things. However, my comment feel on deaf ear because the flame demon only snorted.

**"Boy, go down this road and your village will burn. There is nothing you can do to stop it." **Its tone suggested fact, not fiction.

I looked at it dead in the eyes, letting out a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure I can stop you." I wasn't sure actually, but you never let your enemy know you're scared.

For a few moments the serpent stared at me, letting out a chuckle that turned into a full blow howl of laughter. **"Who said I would burn it? No child, _you_ will do it."**

* * *

That night lingered in my mind like a leech. I barely slept. I neglected my hygiene, and I didn't even say hello to anybody when I entered the village. Heck, I almost snapped at Teuchi when I ordered ramen.

Honestly, it wouldn't leave me alone. The thought that all my memories were actually fractured, I wasn't who I thought I was, and that I would burn my village if I tried to find out horrified me.

Some part of me, deep within, wanted to pursue it. Yet, the other part of me, the conscious, logical side said I could cause more harm than good.

Seriously, Reality told me to pursue the answers to make things right, and _just_ when he left, some snake thing made of fire threatened everything I cherished. If I did pursue it, would I be strong enough? Would I be able to pull it off?

I didn't know...

"You okay, Naruto-kun?" A soft voice reached my ears as I looked up into the eyes of Ayame, but my own widened. Her normal brown orbs were golden and feral, like a fox.

Oh. My. God.

"Wah?" I sounded stupid. I know, but her eyes, her sexy—I meant creepy—eyes stunned me.. "Are you wearing contacts?" She quirked her head before winking as they returned to normal.

"Finally..." She gave a sigh. "We can talk." She turned her head to the back. "He's awake!"

Teuchi came out from the back, eyes wide. "REALLY!?"

My jaw hung open. This could not be happening. "Wait, don't tell me! You're a god!" I laughed. I mean, might as well eliminate the crazy.

However, Teuchi nodded, arms crossed. "Why yes."

I froze. "Wait, you're a god?"

"I think I just said that, Naruto-kun."

"You. A _god._" My tone was dripping disbelief.

"Why do you think my food is so out of this world?"

The Ramen Chef was a god.

Wow...

There were only three ways this could be possible.

1) My memory was actually screwed up.

2) This was an alternate timeline that I landed in.

3) I was on drugs.

I have this outrageous healing factor, but I had a feeling that this was a drug-induced hallucination. I don't care what you say, the ramen chef was a god. More than that, I suddenly felt a weak, yet foreign energy in the village.

But like the wind, it vanished.

_**To be continued...**_

* * *

**WAIT! I know that was weird, but from now on I'm going to summarize what happens. At least, until I explain EVERYTHING.  
**

**1) Naruto met the face of reality. Reality tells him because of his time travel that he causing the worlds to collapse and merge together. He also says that Naruto is not who he thinks he is and tries to say Naruto's TRUE NAME but it falls on deaf ears. Something inside Naruto is stopping him from accepting the truth.  
**

**2) Naruto gets pissed and starts to contemplate answers, and a snake manifests itself out of fire to stop him. It warns him that if Naruto finds the answers all his friends will die, and he will go insane. **

**3) The Ramen Chef is a god... this is actually really relevant to the plot and will be explained. I promise I was not on crack or drunk when I wrote that, nor am I drunk right now while typing this.  
**

**Side notes: If you know your shinto mythology, what Reality said: storm bringer, trickster, and warrior of valor are HUGE hints. Plus, you will know what the snake is.**

**FINALLY! Please check out this fic from my great friend Duesal10 (We kinda beta eachother's work). It's a Time travel fic as well, but its back to The Clan War Era during the times of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.  
**

**It's called _Hands of Time_**

**Here's the Summary: **  
The creation of an ascended being puts a strain on reality. A little too much effort on his part or even just a slight loss of control may very well result in a tear—a warping of time and space itself. Unfortunately, Naruto and Sasuke have to pay the consequences. Time-Travel. Warring Clans Era. No Yaoi. No Bashing.

**What can I say? Though it's at the beginning, it has a lot of promise (I'm biased since I know what's going to happen). The descriptions are great, its different, characterizations are pretty good, and it's funny when it wants to be.**

**Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW!**


End file.
